Heavy Equipment Transport in California
Excavators, dozers, loaders and tractors moved across California on the trailer each machine needs, with the state's oversize permits arranged before pickup.
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Every carrier is vetted for operating authority and insurance, and we check the certificate before every dispatch, not once a year. USDOT 3411782 · MC 1100274
At a glance
Shipping in California at a glance
The facts that decide how a load moves here. Regulatory figures link to the official page they come from.
- I-5
- I-8
- I-10
- I-15
- I-40
- I-80
- I-205
- I-215
- I-405
- I-580
- I-710
- I-880
- Port of Los Angeles
- Port of Long Beach
- Port of Oakland
- Port of San Diego
- Port of Hueneme
- Port of Stockton
- Otay Mesa
- Calexico East
How freight moves in California
Freight in California runs on I-5, I-8, I-10, I-15, I-40 and I-80. Ocean and river cargo moves through Port of Los Angeles, Port of Long Beach, Port of Oakland and Port of San Diego. Its crossings at Otay Mesa and Calexico East connect it to Mexico. The state's economy leans on ports and international trade, agriculture and food processing, technology and electronics and entertainment production equipment, and that is most of what moves on its roads.
Rules of the road
What shapes a move in California
- When oversize loads can travel
Caltrans bars permit loads wider than 10 feet from weekday peak-hour curfew windows in the Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and Sacramento areas, and loads that need a pilot car are barred from travel during set afternoon and evening hours around seven holidays, including Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day. Source ↗
- Escort vehicles
Caltrans requires a pilot car when a load is wider than the lane or has a front or rear overhang beyond 25 feet, with the number set by route color, and a California Highway Patrol escort once a load exceeds 15 feet wide on green, blue and brown routes or 16 feet wide on yellow routes. Source ↗
- Seasonal conditions
Caltrans can impose chain controls on Sierra Nevada passes such as I-80 over Donner Summit, where trucks may be stopped at a chain check point and required to carry maximum chains, and permit loads can be barred from the summit.
Wildfires, high winds and winter storms can close mountain passes such as the Grapevine on I-5 and the Cajon Pass on I-15 on short notice.
Rules change. The specialist on your move checks the current ones for your exact route before anything is booked.
Permits by state
If the route leaves California
Every state a load crosses issues its own oversize permit. These are the offices next door, closest first, with their legal limits.
Nevada
NDOT · Nevada Department of Transportation, Over Dimensional Vehicle Permits
Legal height: 14 ft (4.27 m)
Legal width: 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m)
Arizona
ADOT · Arizona Department of Transportation
Legal height: 13 ft 6 in (14 ft on the designated highway system)
Legal width: 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m)
Oregon
ODOT · Oregon Department of Transportation, Commerce and Compliance Division
Legal height: 14 ft (4.27 m)
Legal width: 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m)
Cities
Heavy Equipment Transport by city in California
These are the busiest pickup points. Any address in California works, including the towns between them.
Long BeachLos Angeles County
Long Beach is home to the Port of Long Beach, one of the two San Pedro Bay ports, and I-710 and I-405 feed trucks to rail yards and warehouses across the Inland Empire.
- I-710
- I-405
- I-605
- CA-91
Los AngelesLos Angeles County
Los Angeles is home to the Port of Los Angeles, which with the neighboring Port of Long Beach forms the busiest container port complex in the United States, and I-5, I-10, I-110 and I-710 carry the cargo inland.
- I-5
- I-10
- I-110
- I-405
OaklandAlameda County
Oakland is home to the Port of Oakland, Northern California's main container port, and I-880, I-80 and I-580 connect it to the Bay Area, the Central Valley and the rest of the country.
- I-880
- I-80
- I-580
- I-980
San DiegoSan Diego County
San Diego sits on I-5, I-8 and I-15 north of the Otay Mesa commercial border crossing, and the Port of San Diego's marine terminals handle vehicle and breakbulk cargo.
- I-5
- I-8
- I-15
- I-805
FresnoFresno County
Fresno sits on Highway 99 in the San Joaquin Valley, the center of California's Central Valley farm production, with heavy truck traffic hauling produce and farm equipment.
- CA-99
- CA-41
- CA-180
- CA-168
OntarioSan Bernardino County
Ontario sits in the Inland Empire at I-10 and I-15, with an international airport, rail intermodal connections and one of the largest concentrations of warehouses serving the Southern California ports.
- I-10
- I-15
- CA-60
SacramentoSacramento County
Sacramento, the state capital, is where I-5, I-80 and US-50 meet, with the Port of West Sacramento on a deepwater ship channel nearby and a large agricultural and food-processing base.
- I-5
- I-80
- US-50
- CA-99
StocktonSan Joaquin County
Stockton is home to the Port of Stockton, an inland deepwater port in the San Joaquin Delta reached by I-5 and Highway 99, and it is a major Central Valley warehouse hub.
- I-5
- CA-99
- I-205
- CA-4
Heavy Equipment Transport
Trailers and machines
RGN (removable gooseneck)
The neck detaches so tracked and wheeled machines drive on at deck level.
Lowboy
A deck close to the ground for tall machines that would break the legal height on a flatbed.
Step deck
For loaders, tractors and skid steers that clear the height limit on its lower deck.
Flatbed
For attachments, smaller machines and anything loaded by forklift or crane.
Questions about shipping in California
Who issues oversize permits in California?
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). A load over the legal limits (14 ft (4.27 m) tall, 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) wide) needs its permit for the exact route, and it is arranged before pickup so the machine does not wait at the yard.
When can an oversize load travel in California?
Caltrans bars permit loads wider than 10 feet from weekday peak-hour curfew windows in the Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and Sacramento areas, and loads that need a pilot car are barred from travel during set afternoon and evening hours around seven holidays, including Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day.
When does California require escort vehicles?
Caltrans requires a pilot car when a load is wider than the lane or has a front or rear overhang beyond 25 feet, with the number set by route color, and a California Highway Patrol escort once a load exceeds 15 feet wide on green, blue and brown routes or 16 feet wide on yellow routes.
Are there seasonal restrictions in California?
Caltrans can impose chain controls on Sierra Nevada passes such as I-80 over Donner Summit, where trucks may be stopped at a chain check point and required to carry maximum chains, and permit loads can be barred from the summit. Wildfires, high winds and winter storms can close mountain passes such as the Grapevine on I-5 and the Cajon Pass on I-15 on short notice.
Which trailer does my machine need?
The machine decides: its weight, height, width and whether it drives on. Tracked machines usually ride an RGN or a lowboy, loaders and tractors a step deck, attachments a flatbed. With the make, model and dimensions we tell you which before we quote.
How fast do you reply to a quote request?
In under 10 minutes during business hours, by text or phone for a move inside the U.S., and on WhatsApp for one going to Mexico.
Get a Free, No-Obligation Quote Today
Our logistics specialists are standing by. We reply in under 10 minutes.
Every carrier is vetted for operating authority and insurance, and we check the certificate before every dispatch, not once a year. USDOT 3411782 · MC 1100274